Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 8: Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust (GDCT) has strongly opposed the proposal of the Government to convert Gujjar & Bakerwal Hostels into Tribal Hostels.
In a meeting of the Trust members held at Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust complex, near Sainik Colony under the chairmanship of Abdul Hamid Choudhary , the members discussed various issues pertaining to the welfare of the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities. They expressed their apprehensions regarding the Government proposal to covert Gujjar & Bakerwal Hostels into Tribal Hostels which shall be for all the Scheduled Tribes.
It was further pointed out during the course of discussion that these hostels were opened in J&K exclusively for Gujjar and Bakerwals boys and girls for their social, educational and economic development. The members appealed to the Government to keep this facility only for these two communities in these hostels and reconsider its decision.
They said the Government has opened many such hostels for boys and girls of these two communities across J&K and any conversion of these hostels shall be strongly opposed with further course of action.
The members further emphasized that community is not averse to the proposal of opening hostels for other tribals but at the same time demands to open such facility separately for them. They also demanded constitution of Development Board for the Gujjars and Bakerwals.
The other prominent members present in the meeting included- Ch Bashir Ahmed, Ch Shah Mohammed, Ch Arshid Ali, Ch Showkat Javed, Ch Mohd Rafiq Kohli, Ch Iftikhar Hussain Chouhan, Ch Mohd Sharief Chouhan, Ch Asif Khaliq Poswal and Ch Mohd Amin.